Left Behind
by 10Blue10
Summary: The attempt to capture Grimmel fails, and then goes horribly wrong when Hiccup is captured. Both Grimmel and the warlords demand to know the location of the Alpha, one to kill him and the others to control. They are willing to go to dark lengths to get what they want. All Hiccup can do is hope for rescue and try to resist the torment, because a chief protects his own...


Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: It's Friday the Thirteenth. Have some angst.

Left Behind

It was hard to pinpoint the exact moment everything went so terribly wrong. Perhaps it was their second attempt to capture Grimmel backfiring so horribly (_had he learned nothing?_) when it turned out he'd led his friends into a trap. More likely, however, it was when they were all scrambling to escape from the Deathgrippers, and he leapt to grab his mom's hand…and missed. Well, he didn't miss exactly, it's just that a very large, angry dragon lunged out of the smoke and crashed into him. Hiccup tumbled to the floor, winded and bruised.

"Hiccup!" He could hear Astrid scream his name. He had to get up, get out…the Deathgripper loomed over him, venomous tail poised to strike. Hiccup yelled and rolled away as it stabbed down, scrambling to his feet and choking on the smoke. He could barely see. He was about to call out for Toothless to help him when he remembered – _Toothless isn't here. _Toothless was Thor-knew-where.

His mother and fiancé were still calling to him. He staggered through the smoke, trying to follow their voices and avoid the Deathgrippers. Where was Grimmel? He'd probably retreated and was laughing at Hiccup from a safe distance.

Without warning, a pale hand shot out of nowhere and seized his wrist like a leech. "Get off!" Hiccup yelled, trying to pull away. Grimmel's lips curled into a cruel smile and he held on tighter, painfully so. Hiccup punched him in the face; the man's death-grip loosened just enough for him to wrench himself free, nails scratching lines into his skin. He didn't get far, however, before being pinned.

The Deathgripper slammed Hiccup to the floor; he struggled, but he didn't have the strength to throw the dragon off. If Toothless was there he'd be able to, surely, but he wasn't there, Hiccup was alone and weak and useless and – "No!"

That sharp, commanding shout came not from Hiccup, or any of his friends (where were they all? Astrid and Valka stayed behind, but had the others? Or had they fled? He should be glad they got out, but part of him felt betrayed). It came from Grimmel, stopping the dragon from killing him. Which wasn't good.

Not that he wanted to die, of course, but if Grimmel was keeping him alive it probably wasn't out of the goodness of his heart. In fact Hiccup wasn't sure the hunter had a heart at all. He was trapped, helpless – _useless _– and he could hear the rest of Grimmel's men rushing to capture them. They had to get out, now!

Twisting his head back, hating that it bared his throat to the slavering Deathgripper looming over him, Hiccup looked over where Astrid's shouts were coming from. He couldn't see her, so he took a deep breath and yelled "GO! Just go, Astrid! I'll be fine, get out of here! That's an _order_!" he shouted, hearing her protest. He wouldn't normally pull rank on her unless it was a dire situation.

There was a pause that seemed to last an eternity; and then he heard her shouting, distantly, "_fall back!_" Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief. They'd get out. They had to. As for him…well. It was his own fault for coming here. Hiccup glared up at Grimmel. Grimmel smirked down at Hiccup. Then that tail stabbed down, a needle pierced his skin, cold flooded his body, and all went black.

* * *

In the air above the fleet and Grimmel's lair, Astrid cursed. Why had she _listened _to him? Stupid self-sacrificing idiot! "We're going back" she growled.

Valka called out "I don't want to leave him either, Astrid, but we need to" –

"What would you know?" Astrid spat at the older woman, "You left for twenty years!" No sooner had the words left her mouth than she clapped a hand over it. Too late; Valka flinched, visibly shaken, and the other riders looked shocked.

"Oh…Oh my gods, Valka, I'm so sorry" Astrid said hurriedly. "I didn't mean it!"

Swallowing hard, Valka replied "It - it's alright. You're scared, I know. I am too…but Grimmel won't kill Hiccup" she tried to reassure her son's betrothed, attempting to smile. It felt more like she was grimacing, and she quickly stopped. "If he wanted Hiccup dead, he wouldn't have stopped that Deathgripper from…" Valka trailed off, unable to bring herself to say it outright.

Eret did a quick head count. "Everyone's here" he said. When Astrid glared at him, he winced and amended it to "everyone else, I mean. But we've gotta go, before he sets those enslaved dragons on us. We'll come back for the Chief – Valka's right, they'll keep him alive. But we can't rescue him alone" he insisted.

However much she hated it, Astrid knew they were right. They had to get help. Then they would come back here and get Hiccup out of that nithingrs clutches.

* * *

When he next came to, Hiccup wasn't really surprised to find himself manacled to a rack. The binds clamped around his wrists and ankle pinched, and there was a dull ache in his shoulders and right knee. Oh, and his prosthetic was missing. So was his armour and tunic, leaving him only in trousers. He tried and failed not to think about his joints being dislocated, and focused on just breathing.

Movement nearby compelled him to open his eyes. Grimmel was there, along with three people Hiccup didn't recognise. "Ah, good. You're finally awake."

_Just breathe _he reminded himself. "Sorry I kept you waiting. Hey, why the long face?" he snarked. "It's like you're not happy to see me. Feeling's mutual." Hiccup spared a glance at the other three. "And there are more of you. Goody."

"If we didn't need you to talk I'd cut out that insolent tongue of yours, boy" the only woman sneered at him. "Did your father never teach you manners?"

"He told me not to leave guests shirtless in a freezing cold room, does that count?" Hiccup replied. In truth, he was afraid, and using sarcasm to hide it.

Her eyes blazed, and she struck him hard over the mouth. Hiccup's mouth filled with the iron taste of blood, where he'd bitten his tongue as he grit his teeth to keep from crying out. "You don't speak to me like that, you pathetic whelp."

"Griselda, really" chided Grimmel, "Must you be so impolite? My apologies, _Chief_" he said mockingly, leaning over Hiccup. "I'm sure you must be ever so uncomfortable. I'll happily let you out of here a free man; all you have to do is tell us where to find your tribe and your dragons. So, what do you say?"

Hiccup pursed his lips, as if in thought…then spat blood in Grimmel's face. He felt a grim satisfaction at the action, immature though it might have been. _I'm about to be tortured, I can cut myself a bit of slack_ Hiccup thought, watching as Grimmel calmly wiped away the blood and stepped back. "Well, if that's how you feel…" He nodded to the third man, who grinned cruelly and turned a crank.

The rack stretched a fraction more. Hiccup grit his teeth, his bones creaking as the ligaments between them were painfully stretched. _Don't talk. Don't talk. _The mantra beat in his head like the roar of his pulse. He would _not _betray his people. He would not betray their dragons. He had a duty as the Chief of Berk.

"Where is your new island?" Grimmel asked him, far too calmly. "I know you've gone west, but how far? Really, you should save us both the trouble and just" –

"Never" Hiccup snapped. He wanted the guy to _shut up. _"I'll die before I tell you anything." Bold, reckless words, but he knew he was a dead man anyway.

Unless he could hold out until someone – anyone – came back to rescue him.

The rack was cranked again. This time he couldn't stop himself from crying out at the pain it caused. "Where is the Alpha?" demanded Griselda. "Tell us, boy."

Hiccup almost rolled his eyes. _I'm twenty one, for Thor's sake. Stupid baby-face…maybe I should grow a beard_. "That, uh, that's easy" he got out. They actually looked hopeful, the fools. "I haven't got a fucking clue." A pang hit his chest that had nothing to do with the torture, because he really didn't know.

Griselda scowled. "Oh, please. Everyone knows you and the Night Fury are inseparable" she sneered at him. He supposed he couldn't blame her; _he'd _thought they were inseparable, until… "Is he on Berk, or did you hide him?"

"Hide him, she says. Ha! Yeah, why not? I hid him…in the Hidden World. Cos y'know, it's a world for hiding stuff. I bet _that's _where trolls hide our missing socks!" he rambled. Talking nonsense annoyed them and helped distract him from the awareness that he didn't know where Toothless was. He just hoped his best friend was safe. "They steal them, y'know. But only the left ones."

One of the other men – the smaller one – asked "Where is the Hidden World?"

"See previous answer" Hiccup panted. "No fucking clue, and if I did…you're the last people I'd tell." In reply, the woman slashed a Razorwhip barb down his side. "Aargh!" Hiccup screamed as the rack was stretched even more, the cut against his ribs tearing open wider, his joints and muscles groaning protest.

Grimmel remarked "And yet, you abandoned the island your tribe lived on for generations, uprooting centuries of tradition, just to chase an old sailor's tale." He gave a _tsk _of disapproval, adding "Stoick would be so disappointed in you."

Hiccup forced his eyes open from where they'd screwed shut at the pain. He glared at Grimmel, hating the man with every single fibre of his being. "You…don't talk…about him" he forced out through gritted teeth, fingernails digging into his palms as he clenched his fists. "He'd…never…talk…and…neither will I." He would not let his dad's memory down. He would not succumb.

The alternative – letting the dragons be enslaved, letting his people be slaughtered, letting Grimmel murder Toothless – was utterly unthinkable.

"Brave boy" the man at the crank chuckled darkly. "But we've broken stronger than you. Viking or not, you will talk" he warned, turning it just that little bit more. The chains rattled as they were tightened further, and Hiccup screamed in pain. It barely alleviated the agony; he felt like he was being torn in half. Again, they demanded to know where the Alpha was. "_I don't know!_" he yelled.

He didn't know. Hiccup felt sick, and not just from the pain he was in. _I should be glad _he thought distantly, unable to focus. _He's safe_. The further Toothless was from these wretched hunters hands, the better. Yet the traitorous part of his mind wished fervently for his dragon to come and save him. For anyone to come and save him. _Please…Toothless, if you're out there…I need you, buddy. _

* * *

"I'm tired of this" the largest warlord complained, spitting in disgust. "What is it going to take to get this brat to talk?" he demanded. A meaty fist swung through the air and impacted Hiccup's bared, bloodied stomach. He groaned breathlessly, choking. "We've tried everything we can think of and he hasn't broken. I'd almost be impressed if it weren't so _annoying_" the warlord growled.

Not that Hiccup was listening. He was exhausted, sweat pouring off him. His right shoulder was dislocated and throbbing. His body was littered with cuts from that Razorwhip scale. They had threatened to douse him in oil and set him alight, then Grimmel had suggested using Triple Stryke venom instead. They'd dripped it right into his open wounds and he'd been sure he was going to die.

What was that guy on about? He had talked. Begged. Cried. He'd found himself screaming for his dad at one point, like he was a child, and felt humiliated. In his desperation to resist betraying Berk, he'd sold out their allies instead. First Alvin and Dagur, then Mala and Atali. Why hadn't he thought to go to them for help? If he had maybe he wouldn't be in this mess. _I'm sorry. Please, I'm so sorry! _

The worst part was when Grimmel insisted they took a break from torturing him to feed the Deathgrippers. He was about to throw a trio of terrified Scuttleclaws into the drugged, cannibalistic dragons. "They prefer live prey" he informed Hiccup with the same detached, ice cold cruelty as ever. "But I could spare them. Tell you what. I'll set them free, if you tell us what we want to know."

Hiccup didn't think it was even possible to despise someone as much as he did Grimmel at that moment. To weaponise his love of dragons against him! But then, that was what the man had been doing this whole time. "Please…don't hurt them" he begged, tears in his eyes. "They don't deserve this! _Please_…"

He tried to tell them about the Buffalord, even Vanaheim – somewhere he'd sworn he would never tell a soul about. The gods would surely feed him to Nidhog for this. All to no avail. He couldn't bear to admit it, but three dragons…weren't worth the lives of all his people and all the dragons on Berk. Hiccup felt a deep self-loathing to even think that way; it went against his core.

"I'm sorry" he rasped out, as the Scuttleclaws eyes filled with betrayal and fresh fear. They _knew. _His tormentors forced him to watch as the poor, innocent dragons were gored and ripped limb from limb. The sight was horrific but the _sounds _– of snarling, screaming, cracking bone, tearing flesh – would forever haunt his nightmares. Hiccup retched, choking on his own thin, watery bile.

Now, after what felt like an eternity, he just wanted it to be over. The temptation to just succumb and tell them what they wanted to know was overwhelming. He'd already sunk this low. _What the fuck was I thinking? _Hiccup berated himself, even as he struggled to think straight through the haze of misery and pain. _It…it doesn't even matter if they know where New Berk is…_

Had it all been for nothing? His suffering, his struggle – what an absolute idiot he was. Yet something told him that the warlords would have tortured him – that Grimmel almost certainly would have – just for fun. One of them had outright _told _him that they were doing this as revenge for him interfering with their plans for world domination, or whatever the Hel it was they were doing.

"I think I know what could be the final straw" said Grimmel. "But I will make this ultimatum alone. I _assure _you" he insisted, when the others tried to protest, "that if he does what I suspect, then you will get precisely what you want."

So they left, grumbling and shooting curses at Hiccup and Grimmel both. Hiccup just focused on breathing. He missed Toothless so much his heart felt like it was breaking. "You can stop this, you know" Grimmel told him. "All you have to do is give me what _I _want. The Night Fury." Suddenly, Hiccup fervently hoped that Toothless was as far away from him – and this maniac hunter - as possible.

He didn't have the strength to speak. Grimmel continued, "Assuming he comes back for you – and hasn't simply flown off the 'edge of the world' with the female – I'll be waiting. The whole armada has standing orders to capture the Night Fury alive. Those buffoons want him to command their dragon army – although quite how they plan to command _him, _even I could not say" he mused.

Thoughts of Toothless being tortured into obedience filled his mind, and Hiccup moaned. "Without the Alpha, they have no way of controlling such an army of dragons. They would be destroyed, and your precious village would be safe" Grimmel continued. "You've already sacrificed those Scuttleclaws. I have to admit, I didn't think you had it in you to be quite so ruthless. I'm impressed."

Hiccup let out a sob, the guilt tearing at him like claws in his stomach. _How could you? _cried Astrid. _How could you? _cried his mother. He had a sudden vivid, nauseating mental image of Toothless being fed alive to those monstrous dragons, screaming helplessly as he was feasted upon… "No…" he croaked out, mouth dry as bone. "Y-you can't…_please_…" he begged, trembling all over.

"I wasn't planning to feed the Night Fury to them" Grimmel remarked. "Not alive, anyway." He stepped closer, leaned down to whisper in Hiccup's ear. "I'd make it quick. All but painless. I'd even let you say goodbye. You can hold him, as he takes his _last breath_…" The words dripped from his mouth like poison.

Hiccup missed Toothless with all his heart but he'd be happy to never see the dragon again, if the alternative was this. He couldn't bear the thought of his best friend dying. _Even more than your tribe? _Hiccup's mind betrayed him. What was one dragon – even the Alpha, even one that meant everything to him – next to hundreds more? And his people? That was the ultimatum. Berk, or Toothless.

It was a choice he'd hoped he would never have to make. He wouldn't have to if they had rescued him. Why hadn't they come to save him? _Probably abandoned me…as a lost cause…realised I wasn't worth it _he thought, mind filling with self-deprecating, self-loathing thoughts. _Toothless is…probably having the time of his life with the Light Fury. He's probably not even…thinking of me at all_ he thought.

Hiccup made his choice. It was so difficult – but it was the only way he could think of. "K-Kill…me…" he rasped out. A lone tear rolled down his cheek. If he were dead it would all be okay. Dead men couldn't betray anyone. Dead men couldn't have nightmares. Dead men didn't feel guilty. Dead men felt no pain.

"How the mighty have fallen" Grimmel sneered. "You want to die with your precious dragon? See what your foolish love of the beasts has brought you to."

He ignored this. Focused on gathering what little strength he had left. "He…he's….n-not…c-coming…" Hiccup wept breathlessly. Toothless had gone. His best friend didn't need him anymore. He'd be happy with the Light Fury, and hopefully he'd be safe, which was all that mattered. Hiccup's heart shattered at the realisation that he might never see Toothless again. _I'm sorry, bud. I'm sorry. _

Grimmel began to say that if the Night Fury didn't come for Hiccup, he would hunt the dragon down to the ends of the Earth if he had to…when a familiar, eerie shriek filled the air. Hiccup's eyes snapped open – he didn't remember closing them – and he gasped. Suddenly there was an explosion, near enough to make his ears ring but far enough that the burning debris didn't strike him.

With a massive effort, Hiccup turned his head to look as a familiar dragon leapt through the hole, roaring in blazing ire. Toothless was there, he _had _come back, spines glowing and crackling with sparks, beautiful and terrible. A huge wave of relief flooded through Hiccup. At last, _at last, _they had come for him. Toothless took one look at him and shrieked in horror – he must have looked a sight.

Slit pupilled eyes turned to the hunter and he prepared to fire a blast...then everything froze, the whole world, when Grimmel took a dagger and placed the tip of it over Hiccup's heart. Abruptly, he realised he didn't want to die after all, but he would if it meant Toothless could live. The black dragon snarled viciously, just barely held at bay by the threat to his rider and visibly shaking with rage.

Astrid and Stormfly rushed in. "Hiccup! Grimmel, you _monster_ – let him go!" she cried, furious. Hiccup was covered in blood and burns, one shoulder bulging strangely and obviously dislocated or worse. Astrid wanted to tear Grimmel apart with her bare hands. She _knew _they shouldn't have waited, but they needed all the dragons to take on even a fraction of this army so she'd gone…

To find Toothless, finding him in an incredible place the Hidden World, which he'd left as fast as blinking when she told him Hiccup was in danger. Toothless had dreaded what he'd find. He hadn't meant to stay away so long! He'd just been so caught up in the newness of it all, meeting a female of his own kind, and he assumed Hiccup would just stay and wait for him to come back home…

Now, now his rider was a knifepoint away from death, and he couldn't shoot Grimmel fast enough for him to not have time to stab Hiccup. The other dragons were destroying the ships and the riders were keeping the other hunters at bay. The Deathgrippers were still in their cages, clawing at the bars, the scent of blood heavy in the air – but Grimmel was too far away to release any of them.

It was a stalemate. "I'll let him go when the Night Fury dies" Grimmel threatened. Toothless met Hiccup's eyes; they were filled with fear and sadness.

Astrid hefted her axe and declared "Here's _my _offer. Let him go and I won't cleave you in half." Stormfly hissed and whipped her tail around ready to send a tail-spike through Grimmel, either to kill him or knock the knife out of his hand.

"Is that your choice? So be it." Grimmel stabbed down, before anyone could stop him. Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless – all of them screamed. Hiccup's scream cut off first; Astrid stopped when she ran out of breath and could only stare in horror. Toothless kept screaming, and the scream became a blast of fire that sent Grimmel flying into the wall. The Night Fury leapt after him, screeching.

He tore at Grimmel with his claws and ripped with his teeth, rending the hunter to pieces, such was the force of his rage. The sight jerked Astrid into action and she dashed over to the awful torture device her fiancé was still chained to. "Hiccup – Oh gods, Hiccup! I'm so sorry!" she cried, struggling to open the manacles. He couldn't hear her, and he never would again. His eyes were glassy.

With a shaking hand, Astrid reached up and brushed them closed. His skin was still warm. He could almost be sleeping, if not for the blood all over him and the _fucking knife in his chest. _Oh gods, why? Valka was going to be heartbroken. Gobber would be heartbroken. _She_ was heartbroken. Why did he have to die?

Toothless finally gave up on eviscerating Grimmel – Astrid was sorely tempted to smash her axe into his corpse a few times herself. He slunk closer, bloodstained and whining pitifully. "I'm sorry" Astrid whispered. What else could she say? He whimpered, and nudged Hiccup's lifeless face. Licked his cheek. If dragons could cry, it seemed like he would be sobbing his heart out.

* * *

First Stoick, and then Hiccup. Berk had lost two great Chieftains in the space of a year. As she watched the funeral ship bobbing on the water, helmet and sword resting atop the shroud, Astrid wondered what they had done to earn the gods ire. She wondered what Hiccup could have possibly done to deserve such a cruel, pointless death – he was the most honourable man she'd ever known.

Despite her grief, when their people wondered who would lead them now, frightened and grieving and angry as they were, Astrid took charge. By day she worked to help them rebuild and keep them united. By night, when no one could see, Astrid mourned and cried with Valka, or sometimes with Toothless. He was a shell of his former self, barely eating, flying only when he had to.

Not all of the dragon hunters had been destroyed in that disastrous rescue mission. After they drove off yet another armada, Astrid and Toothless came to a unanimous decision. The dragons could no longer stay there. It was putting both them and their humans in danger. Astrid convinced the villagers to let them go, and Toothless led them to the Hidden World, where they'd be safe.

Hiccup's demise had taken the joy out of life…the dragons departure seemed to take the colour out of it too. Valka sailed away one morning, and was never seen again. Gobber was depressed and drank until he grew violent. Snotlout and the twins went with Eret on a trading run and stayed away. Fishlegs and Astrid both desperately tried to keep Hiccup and the dragons memories alive for them.

For the first time in four hundred years, the Hooligan Tribe of Berk started to break down, break up, and go their separate ways. The dragons faded into myth. Every night on the anniversary of Chief Hiccup's death, if anyone was on the island and long after they weren't, eerie wails echoed off the canyons and through the forests. It was Toothless, mourning his beloved rider and friend.

* * *

_Two hundred years later. _

The Alpha stood on the rocks outside the entrance to the Hidden World, wings spread. At long last, it was finally time. He was going to go and find Someone.

He knew Someone existed, or had existed, once upon a time. Someone was the reason one of his tail-fins looked and smelled a bit different to the other. He didn't remember what Someone looked or smelled or sounded like…but he remembered that he had loved Someone. That Someone had been important.

Facing east, towards the sunrise, he leapt into the air. It didn't matter that one of his tail-fins was rusted and tattered, damaged beyond repair. The Alpha flew quicker than he had in years. He felt like…he thought…he hadn't flown this fast since he had last seen Someone. Since he had lost Someone. Yes. That was it.

The further he went, the more he remembered. The Alpha recalled that Someone had been a human, but he didn't know when he'd last seen one of the two-legged creatures. As he flew over one island, the Alpha briefly circled it, searching for any humans there. He vaguely remembered there being some, but the island was abandoned now. So he kept going eastwards, towards…home?

More memories came back. Someone's voice, all squeaky and raspy like a hatchling even when he was full grown, and always full of love when he spoke to…Toothless could almost smell Someone. That scent of metal and leather and fire and the clouds. It was as if he – yes, Someone was a he – smelled like a human and like a dragon at the same time. As if he was both of them at once.

By the time he reached his destination – the Isle of Berk, he'd remembered at last, and the cove where they first became friends – Toothless remembered everything. He remembered his name; and he remembered Hiccup's name.

The boy turned to face him, healthy and whole, looking just as he'd done that late summer day so long ago. Toothless lowered his head and whined. He was so sorry for not saving Hiccup and for staying away so long. Yet Hiccup merely smiled that adorable, crooked smile, his green eyes lighting up in pure joy.

"Hey, bud. I missed you."

* * *

BONUS: Alternate happy ending

"I'll let him go when the Night Fury dies" Grimmel threatened. Astrid started to protest, but Toothless barked at her urgently and shook his head. Then he looked to meet Hiccup's eyes, still afraid, and crooned apologetically. Slowly, without taking his eyes off Grimmel, he crept away from them all and lay down in the middle of the room, baring his stomach and chest. He closed his eyes.

"Toothless, what are you doing?!" Astrid demanded, alarmed. "Don't you dare!" she snarled at Grimmel, who smiled a cruel smile and stalked over to the prone black dragon. Suddenly he paused, and in a few quick strides reached the lever that opened the Deathgrippers cages. The slavering tusked dragons did not attack, but waited for their masters command to do so, holding Astrid at bay.

Hiccup couldn't believe this was happening. "No…Toothless…" he whispered, unable to even properly see the dragon. Guilt and grief filled him like venom. His best friend was about to die and it was all his fault. If he'd been better, stronger, faster, smarter…then he'd still be safe, and Toothless would be safe.

Grimmel was taking an obviously sick pleasure in drawing out the suspense, walking slowly towards Toothless like a predator. Astrid bit her lip to hold back the torrent of pleas and insults she wanted to hurl at him, and started to edge her way towards Hiccup. Stormfly shadowed her, spikes raised defensively, ready to protect both humans from the Deathgrippers, who bristled back at her.

Finally, Grimmel reached the Night Fury and stood over him, knife raised high. Toothless braced himself for the blade to plunge down through his scales and into his heart. He was trembling all over. Hiccup and Astrid both cried out.

"No!"

"Toothless!"

None of them were expecting a blur to streak through the open gap and tackle Grimmel, sending him flying into the wall. The blur resolved itself into the Light Fury, who roared angrily and blasted him right in the face. The Deathgrippers bayed and leapt like hounds to the attack, but she lithely sprang away from Grimmel's body and darted out into the sky, leading them all away on a chase.

Toothless rolled to his feet and stared after her in shock. Then he shook himself and bounded over to where Astrid was trying to free Hiccup from the chains. He licked Hiccup's cheek and whimpered apologies. "Bud…you…you've gotta go after her. She needs you" the young man whispered. Toothless grunted stubbornly and nuzzled his rider again. _You need me more_, he seemed to say.

"You…didn't…have to…do that" he said. Astrid managed to free his good arm – the one that wasn't nearly torn off – and he moved it stiffly, grimacing in pain, to rest his palm on Toothless' nose. "I'd do…the same…quit stealing my bit."

Astrid declared "neither of you self-sacrificing idiots is dying today, not on my watch. Stormfly, go get Cloudjumper and Valka." The Nadder left to find his mother and her dragon to help free and move Hiccup safely back to New Berk.

Hiccup insisted "Toothless, bud…the Light Fury…you've gotta help her." The dragon whined and nudged his rider, slapped the tail with his floor. "I know…I wouldn't wanna leave you either. But the Alpha protects them all, remember?"

Toothless' eyes widened. Then he sighed, crooned and nuzzled Hiccup. He looked up at Astrid; she nodded resolutely and promised "I'll take care of him."

Once Toothless had left to help his…girlfriend, mate, whatever she was to him…Hiccup's strength gave out, and he fainted. His last conscious thought was _I'll make sure you're safe, buddy. You'll never have to sacrifice yourself for me… _

* * *

With the armada either destroyed or chased away, the riders and dragons returned to New Berk. Cloudjumper carried both Valka and Hiccup, the latter of whom was wrapped in a cloth to protect his injured body from the elements. Valka stroked her sons hair and felt guilt bite at her for not coming to his aid sooner. She couldn't imagine how much he'd suffered trying to protect them.

Stormfly and Toothless flew on either side of the Stormcutter, like escorts. The black dragon often glanced over to Hiccup's prone form and whimpered. From here it looked like Hiccup was dead; he was not, but it seemed so. The fact that Hiccup's scent was drowned out by the blood on him wasn't helping matters.

They got him back to New Berk, gave him some herbs to let him sleep without pain, and set about mending his injuries. Astrid was adamant that no-one disturb the chief whilst he recovered. Toothless refused to leave his side, but then that was nothing new. He lay in the tent beside Hiccup and waited for him to wake up. If dragons could feel déjà vu, Toothless would be feeling it then.

He looked up at the sound of a rustle and bared his teeth…but it was only Lumina. She crept inside the tent, ear-flaps pinned back, sniffing warily at all the strange human smells. Toothless stared in surprise; he thought she'd gone home. *What are you doing here?* he asked her, folding a wing over Hiccup.

*I wanted to see you* said Lumina. *What are you doing in here, anyway?*

Toothless snorted. She wouldn't understand. *I'm guarding Hiccup* he said.

*His own kind could guard him* she claimed. Toothless ignored her. Lumina huffed in frustration. This male was funny and sweet, but he was so stubborn. *I saved you! That human would have killed you if I hadn't killed it, you know.*

*He was going to kill Hiccup if he hadn't gotten to kill me* Toothless revealed.

Lumina hissed. *You were going to let yourself be killed?* she asked incredulously. *To save this human of yours? Why would you even do that?*

*Because I love him* Toothless insisted. *And he'd do the same for me. Hiccup told me to go and help you. He was more worried about you than himself.*

She blinked, taken aback. For the first time, Lumina wondered if it were really true, that this human loved dragons more than himself. Toothless had been willing to die for him. Maybe…maybe there was some worth to this human. *Okay, you love him* she crooned quietly, *but what about me? I thought you liked me.*

Toothless squirmed, and groomed his shoulder. *You smell good. And I hadn't met a female dragon like me before…I got carried away. I think I liked the idea of courting you more than _you_. Sorry* he added when she flinched, hurt. *You could stay here. The humans won't hurt you. I could get to know you properly.*

Lumina hesitated. *What about your human? Won't he need you to fly him?*

*Only sometimes. He'll let us be alone too. Please, think about it* he begged.

She agreed to, and then slunk out into the night, without leaving a trace.

* * *

When Hiccup woke a couple of days later, it was to find Toothless leaning over him. He _did_ feel déjà vu. "Hey, bud" he said tiredly. Everything hurt. Toothless wriggled happily, licked him, and scrambled to leave the tent to alert people of his wakefulness. Which was a shame, because he was tempted to go back to sleep. It turned out getting tortured took a lot out of him - who'd have thought?

Astrid entered and sat on the edge of the makeshift bed. "You didn't have to do that for us, y'know" she told him, "we would have understood if you'd talked."

He shrugged, or tried to. His shoulder hurt. "I'm the chief. It's an occupational hazard."

"Stupid" Astrid huffed, and leaned down to kiss him deeply. "I'll get you some broth to eat. You need to save your strength, Chief."

It took another fortnight for Hiccup to recover enough to go flying. Toothless was very excited, bouncing around the half-built village joyfully. It warmed Hiccup's heart to see, even as his heart ached. He would miss his best friend so much…but this had to be done. "Toothless? We need to talk" he said, once they were alone together. The dragon crooned curiously and came back to him.

Hiccup took a deep breath. "You know I love you" he said, and Toothless crooned. He nuzzled Hiccup, saying in his own dragonish way, _I love you too. _

"And I know you're in love with the Light Fury" Hiccup went on, not noticing Toothless' confused expression. "You almost died, you were gonna sacrifice yourself for me and that's not okay. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you. That's why you need to go. Go find her again, and be free."

Toothless shook his head and sat down firmly. _I'm not going anywhere. _

"You have to" Hiccup begged him. "I was so worried about making the world I wanted, I didn't think about what you needed. Astrid told me that you found the Hidden World. You'll be safe there. Safer than you could ever be…with me…" His breath hitched and caught in a sob. Toothless reared up and waddled over to embrace him tightly. The dragon purred comfortingly as Hiccup cried.

When they broke apart, Hiccup prepared to say goodbye to his best friend – not forever, hopefully, Toothless could still visit. It was better for him to be gone because he had a new life and not because his life had ended. Instead, the dragon moved away from Hiccup a little ways and let out a small roar, calling into the forest. After a few moments, a familiar white dragon emerged.

The Light Fury crept gracefully, if timidly, out of the trees. Hiccup froze. He knew she didn't like or trust humans. But she didn't growl at him or try to attack; she just watched him nervously and when he stayed very still she relaxed a bit. Toothless came over and nudged at his hand, pushing a warm black snout into his palm and lifting it up until his arm was outstretched. Then he stepped back.

Hiccup barely dared to hope. He closed his eyes, turned his head away and waited. At last, he felt a smooth nose press lightly against his fingers. Toothless crooned happily, so he risked taking a peek. The Light Fury – he really needed to think of a name for her, this was getting ridiculous – had come close enough to put her nose against his hand. She trusted him. Had Toothless vouched for him?

Hiccup smiled, taking care not to show his teeth and startle her. Slowly, he raised his other hand towards Toothless, who came over straightaway. His heart no longer felt like it was breaking, but it felt like it could burst with sheer happiness. The dragons had clearly made their choice, and who was he to argue with them? "Come on, you two" he murmured gently. "Let's go flying."


End file.
